1 Man's Dream Rises Out Of Scrub Brush And A Sea Of Problems

MIAMI — Take 128,000 square feet of prescription athletic turf, 55,000 yards of concrete, 6,000 tons of steel, 75,000 seats and one bullheaded man, and what do you have?

Joe Robbie Stadium, new home of the Miami Dolphins, aptly named for the team owner who did the improbable -- built a stadium without a nickel of public money.

The $120 million stadium, which rose in 20 months out of scrub brush in a northwest Dade County neighborhood that fought it, debuts Aug. 16 in the preseason opener against the Chicago Bears.

The game, which was an immediate sellout, will be highlighted by the requisite revelry to celebrate Robbie's unparalleled feat and the 22nd birthday of the franchise. There will be pregame, halftime and post-game festivities, including a lights-out period in which fans will illuminate 75,000 glow-in-the-dark candles, turning the stadium into a giant birthday cake.

Robbie, apparently mellowing at the age of 71, said he will refrain from using the festivities to thumb his nose at Miami officials who refused to replace the aging Orange Bowl and then scoffed when he said he'd do it on his own.

''I think I'm in too good of a mood for that,'' Robbie said during a recent press tour of the stadium. ''I think I've already done that. I just would like to tell them now, 'You'd better believe.' ''

The stadium's greatest impact, of course, is that it keeps the Dolphins in Florida. Robbie had threatened to move the team out of the state before he hatched the idea of building his own stadium.

Located 1 mile from the Broward County line, the stadium also gives fans easier access from Broward and Palm Beach, where 60 percent of season ticket- holders live. It will bring untold tourist dollars to the area. The stadium already has been selected to host the 1990 Super Bowl.

Borrowing features from Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City and Giants Stadium in New Jersey, Robbie Stadium is state-of-the-art in terms of fan comfort and sports technology. After spending 10 futile years trying to convince the city of Miami or Dade County to build a new stadium, Robbie made sure his legacy will live up to his I'll-do-it-myself-and-I'll-do-it-better indignation.

The octagonal stadium has eight circular ramps, two at each corner for easy entrance. Those faint of heart or energy can ride one of eight escalators to and from the top of the lower level or bottom of the upper level. Those with luxury seating can ride four of the nine elevators scattered through the facility. The remaining elevators are reserved for press, freight, service and office use.

For the first time, fans will be able to watch instant replays on two Sony JumboTRONS. The video screens, which measure 27 feet by 36 feet, are affixed to giant scoreboards in each end zone. Television monitors also are located above each of the 40 concession stands.

Then there are the seats, Robbie's personal pride and joy. Every seat -- be it one of the orange general admission seats or the special aqua club seats -- is plastic, has a back and arm rests and measures 2 to 4 inches wider than the 17-inch spaces sold in the Orange Bowl.

''I maintain that any seat in this stadium is better than every seat in the Orange Bowl,'' Robbie said. ''There is no fan that has a better seat than any other fan in terms of comfort.''

What's more, fans no longer will be forced to buy full-price tickets for seats with obstructed views, something that happened to as many as 4,500 football lovers at the Orange Bowl. There isn't one seat in the new stadium that's behind a pole.

In terms of luxury, the stadium offers a number of privileged seats -- for a price. There are 216 ''executive suites'' with 10, 12 or 16 seats, where fans can invite their friends, stock their personal bar, enjoy air-conditioned comfort and lounge in plush chairs and couches. And, if they ache for the noise of the crowd, sky box fans can push open sliding windows and eavesdrop on the common folk below.

Luxury, however, does not come cheaply. Executive suite owners pay between $29,000 and $65,000 a year for a 10-year lease. The price depends on the size and location of the suite. The most expensive boxes are sold out, but there's still about 70 left in the $29,000 to $47,500 range.

Just below the sky boxes are the 10,214 so-called clubs seats. They're distinguished from the common orange seats by their aqua color, special privileges and, of course, price.

Fans who plunk down between $600 and $1,400 a year for 10 years will have more legroom, wider seats, access to an air-conditioned, hotel-type lounge and to the sky boxes -- if they have a friend who owns one. They also will have seat-side waiter service for cocktails and a food menu that extends beyond the hot dog, beer and peanuts offered below.

The price of the club seats, the first of their kind in any sports arena, depends on location. There's still about 2,400 left.